Resurgent Palmer powers Chelsea to crucial victory

Having been forced to watch the new champions walk on, Cole Palmer then made everyone look at his own footwork.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

The playmaker's performance in Chelsea's 3-1 win over Liverpool was a timely reminder of his quality, and that was long before he scored his first goal in almost four months to clinch it.

"I felt like myself," as he put it afterwards. "I felt confident." Palmer has now also ensured Chelsea felt the satisfaction of a victory that was genuinely important, both for himself and the club. It greatly improves his club's prospects of Champions League football with three games to go, two of them away to rivals for the places in Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Palmer knows that is the sort of stage he should be on. Chelsea know they have to keep getting there to ward off any potential agitation, or suitors.

It was why there was extra edge to the home side's guard of honour for Liverpool. The Chelsea supporters of course booed it, and many fans would say there is an argument that this kind of obligation should be done away with in a tribal sport like football.

It was hard not to wonder what a player like Palmer feels in such a moment. Surely, that it should be him being feted as a champion?

Palmer duly dominated an occasion that had a lot of pageantry around it, in turn reminding everyone there was a football match with proper stakes here, and what a footballer he is.

There was also something else.